Peninsula Project II is fundraising to document the present conditions of the coast of Baja California, Mexico

PENINSULA PROJECT II

Peninsula Project II (Proyecto Península II) is the continuation of an expedition initiated in the year 2000, consisting of a journey on foot around the coastal area of Baja California (over four thousand kilometers in 15 months). The first expedition was done to create a photographic and video record of the peninsula’s natural environment, and the way of life of its inhabitants.

The second phase of this not-for-profit has a double function: to inspire a sustainable and low-impact appreciation of the natural environment in others and to reflect on the challenges of conservation; sharing ideas and knowledge on the use of space and natural resources. It proposes to create a comparative study of the changes that have taken place since the first expedition eight years ago, of the impacts these changes have caused on the ecosystems and inhabitants of the region, to create a detailed record that will be used in various communications media and for environmental education workshops. The four main themes are: untouched nature and nature affected by humans; use and availability of natural resources; culture and quality of life; and the expedition itself.

Peninsula Project II will begin in March 2008, and will follow the same route around the coastal areas of the Baja California Peninsula. The Peninsula Project II team is comprised of two hikers, a support vehicle and two coordinators based in La Paz, who will classify, coordinate, and divulge the recorded information through different media to the citizens and residents of Baja California and other related stakeholders, such as tourists and foreign residents.

We have some of our own funding and a grant from FONCA (National Found for Culture and Arts), from the “Program for the Promotion of Cultural Projects and Co-investments”, of the Mexican Government. These funds will cover the expenses of the expedition for one year. We need additional financing to create the video segments at our central base in La Paz and to diffuse it to the various media outlets in real-time. Thus, we are looking for funding to help cover the costs of production, coordination with our central base, and diffusion. The money we are requesting is to pay for the necessary video production equipment and to pay the salaries for the period of March 2008 until April 2009. Our most critical needs are two salaries related to coordination and diffusion.

Budgetary Needs:

Indispensable

Salaries for two coordinators based in La Paz - US $ 28, 000

Video production equipment - US $ 8, 019

Video edition equipment - US $ 370

Necessary

Salaries for three more people - US $ 42, 000

Video edition equipment - US $ 6, 290

Material resources that we already have secured:

FONCA (Fondo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes) - US $ 25, 000

Our own production equipment - US $ 38, 000

We also have 20, 000 photographs and 40 hours of video filming, from the year 2000.

Because it is a not-for-profit project, the Instituto Sudcaliforniano de Cultura, of the Mexican government, has provided us an account number for the project, so that the donors can obtain tax-deductible receipts , and to guarantee the transparency of the use of donated resources.

Instituto Conexiones & Applied Research Center has also approved us as a project it will follow as a case study and they will donate translation and cultural brokerage services.

Thank you for your consideration of our project. For a more detailed proposal and information on Peninsula Project II please contact: Lirio Robles or Carmina Valiente at ppeninsulados@yahoo.com.mx , or by phone in México: 612 12 53662.